


Two Sisters in the Tower

by SuckerForLove24



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Bad Parenting, Cassandra and Rapunzel are sisters, Child Abuse, Gen, Haircuts, Healing Incantation, Hurt/Comfort, Implied abuse, Kidnapping, More Guilt, More additional tags to be added, Sad, Snakes, What if?, cass is protective of her little sis, cass just wants raps to be safe, raps is innocent bean, the guilt begins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28082664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuckerForLove24/pseuds/SuckerForLove24
Summary: What if, instead of abandoning Cass, Gothel took her with them? What if Cass and Raps grew up in the tower together? This is snapshots of their life in the tower, and their eventual escape.
Relationships: Cassandra & Gothel (Disney: Tangled), Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Gothel & Rapunzel (Disney)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 32





	1. Leaving Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I started this back in like, February, but I'm posting it now! I'll add any big triggers in the tags and the a/n as they come up. This first one is pretty short, but enjoy! 💛

Gothel ran from the palace guards, cradling the newborn Princess. She needed to get home. She needed to keep her flower hidden, to keep it safe. Gothel Burst through the door of her home and started yelling at her four year old daughter, Cassandra. 

"Cassandra, pack your things, we're leaving" Gothel said frantically, still holding the blonde baby. 

"Where are we going Mama?" Cass asked with a hint of fear in her voice. She had never seen her mama like this, it was scaring her. 

"We need to leave this place and go somewhere special." Gothel said as calmly as she could, trying not to upset the child and make her freak out. 

"But Mama, why?" Cass asked as a tear fell down her cheek.

"I'll explain it later, just grab your stuff. We need to go." Gothel was losing her patience. She didn't plan this, she just wanted a small lock of hair to keep her young. Of course that all backfired when the baby's hair turned brown as soon as she cut it. Now Gothel had stolen a baby, not just any baby, but the King's baby! She would be killed if they caught her. She was not going to let that happen. 

Cass came down the stairs holding a small stuffie and her music box. Gothel rolled her eyes at the impractical trinkets her daughter had grabbed, but there was no time to argue. She grabbed the bag of food and clothes she had thrown together and then grabbed little Cassandra's arm. 

"Come on, we need to go!" Gothel yelled at her daughter. The Princess started to cry again, along with Cass. 

"I don't want to go!" Cass protested as Gothel dragged her from the house, kicking and screaming. She was sure to gather the attention of everyone around them, but Gothel didn't stop. She couldn't stop. She needed to keep her flower safe. 

Once they got over the bridge and behind the treeline, Gothel turned and knelt down beside the whimpering toddler.

"Listen here Cassandra" Gothel said with a harsh but caring tone. "Things are gonna be different from now on. You are gonna be a big sister, so I'm gonna need you to teach your new sister how to behave, okay?"

"O-ok" Cass said, stifling her tears.

"Now there are gonna be some new rules that you MUST follow. I'll explain them later, but for now do EXACTLY as I say, do you understand Pet?"

"Yes Mama" Cass said as her mom pulled her into a hug. It was rare that she got hugs, so she relished every minute of it. 

The sounds of horses galloping could be heard in the distance, and it was growing louder. Gothel grabbed little Cassandra's hand and they took off running into the night, never to see their little home again


	2. Routines and Rituals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day in the life of four year old Rapunzel and 8 year old Cassandra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I did already have it written... and then I rewrote it. But! I like it much better now. These two are precious and I'm gonna make myself cry in later chapters. But for now, have precious babies who have never done anything wrong ever and deserve more than Gothel could possibly give them. 💛

"Repeat after me Rapunzel.” Little Cassandra sat across from her sister, holding her hands. “We must never go outside.”

“We must never go outside,” repeated four year old Rapunzel. Cassandra nodded and moved to the next line.

“The world is a cruel and dangerous place.”

“The world is a cruel and dangerous place.”

“If it finds even the slightest drop of sunshine, it destroys it.”

Rapunzel’s eyes grew wide at the seriousness of something being destroyed, but she repeated after her eight year old sister. 

“If it finds even the slightest drop of sunshine, it destroys it.”

Cass smiled at her sister. “Now this one is the most important, okay?”

“Okay.” Rapunzel squeezed Cassandra’s calloused hands while she devoted all her attention to her sister. 

“Mother knows best.” Cass’s voice was stern and serious. Rapunzel swallowed, then repeated the simple, three word phrase. 

“Mother knows best.” 

“Very good!” Cass exclaimed. “Soon you’ll have these memorized! I’m so proud of you.” Cass drew her little sister into a hug and Rapunzel giggled. Cass rubbed up and down Rapunzel’s back. 

Rapunzel wrapped her arms tight around her sister. “Thank you for teaching me Cass!” 

“Anything for you Raps.”

Cass let out a peaceful sigh as the sun rose over the canyon walls. This had become a morning ritual for them. Right at 7 am, Cass would teach Rapunzel the rules Gothel had set four years ago. Cass closed her eyes and thought about the first year in the tower. She had longed to go home, bothering Mother with the same question everyday. 

***

“When are we going home?” Little Cassandra asked. 

“Never, Pet,” Gothel scoffed. “This is our home now.” She turned away to go tend to the crying baby.

Cass would ask almost every day at first, and get the same response. Her pestering dwindled down from every day to once a month. 

The memory of Mother yelling at her for the first time popped into her head. Her eyes were dark and her hair was gray. She had just gotten back from Outside. Cass tugged on her mama’s cloak and Gothel whipped around. She stared down at the small child, no more than five years old. Cass swallowed and asked in a quiet voice, doing her best not to mumble, “When are we going home?”.

Gothel rubbed her head and bent down at the waist. Her face was wrinkled and skin frail. Cass still remembers how afraid she was when Gothel grabbed her by the collar and chastised her. “You, my _pet_ , are not leaving this tower, _ever_.” She dropped her collar and sighed. “I need to visit Flower. Go, run away. Get out of my sight.” 

Cass scurried off up to her room and curled into a ball. She sobbed into a pillow, not wanting Mother to hear her. She never asked again after that, and was determined to protect Rapunzel in every way. 

***

“Flower!” Mother Gothel called out. “I’m ready for my morning song!”

“Coming Mama!” Rapunzel replied. 

Cass hugged her sister tight before watching her leave their room. Cass stood in the mirror and took a deep breath. She shook the memory from her mind and followed her sister down the stairs, ready to make breakfast. 

“Glad you could join us, Pet,” Gothel announced as Cassandra descended the stairs. “Go make breakfast. I have a busy day Outside, so I need you to keep things clean around here.” Gothel looked down at the child sitting in front of her and sighed. “And can you brush your sister’s hair? It’s getting too long for me to handle before I leave. I’m sure you won’t mess it up.”

Cass’s face lit up. She had never been allowed to brush the hair before, Mother always said it was too precious to trust her with. 

“Well,” Gothel scoffed. 

“Yes Mother. That won’t be a problem.” 

“Good. Now go and finish breakfast already.” Gothel waved her off before singing the special song. Bright, golden light filled the tower. Cass prepared a simple meal for Mother as she turned young again. Before, Cass would’ve sat and watched. But now, she was used to it and knew that she shouldn’t keep Mother waiting. 

It wasn’t long before Mother finished and sent the two girls up to their room. Neither of them were allowed to see how Mother got Outside, they just knew she did. Gothel would always call out to them once she was at the bottom. 

“I love you both very much!” She sang up to the tower. The two girls raced down to the window to call back to her. 

“We love you too!” They replied in unison. 

“I love you most.” 

The two sisters watched as their mother exited the canyon, through the vines, and to the Outside. They sat and watched the sky together until the clock struck 8. Then Cass pulled them from the window and to the table. 

“Come on, we have to eat now.” Cass helped Rapunzel get into the dining table chair. “Then, I get to brush your hair.” 

“Really!” Rapunzel exclaimed, a great smile on her face.

“Yes, really,” Cass boasted. “I’m growing up, which means I have more responsibilities. Soon, you will too.” 

“Will I be able to brush my own hair one day?” Rapunzel asked with her head tilted to the side. Cass smiled at her.

“I don’t see why not.” She turned and grabbed their breakfast. “But right now, let’s eat.” 

The two kids ate their breakfast and Cass listed off the chores she had for the day. Of course, they started with Rapunzel’s hair, Cass knew that was most important. Rapunzel sat down on her stool and Cass went to fetch the brush. When she returned, Rapunzel was sitting still, her head bent down, hair brushing the floor. Cass stood behind her and slowly brushed through the golden hair. She reveled in how soft it was in her hands. She took her time, making sure she didn’t hurt Rapunzel and that she got every spot nice and perfect. She desperately wanted to make Mother proud. 

The clock struck 9 just as Cass finished. Rapunzel hopped off the stool and Cass returned the brush. She picked up the broom and started sweeping the floor. Rapunzel followed her around with the dustpan. Rapunzel did what she could to help with chores, from mopping to dusting to just holding stuff for her sister. Rapunzel wanted to help, to feel included, and Cass couldn’t say no. 

After lunch they finished the last of the chores and played some games with each other before laying down for a nap. The two sisters shared the upstairs bed. At first Cass was upset, she didn’t want to share the bed with her sister. But Gothel insisted and eventually Cass got used to it. Now, she can’t sleep without her baby sister next to her. 

“I’m back, my darlings!” Gothel called out into the tower. Rapunzel and Cass woke from their nap and started down the stairs. 

“Welcome home, Mother,” Cassandra replied. Rapunzel stood behind her, silent. 

“Good job with the chores today, Pet.” Gothel began pacing about the room. “You managed not to break anything, this time. I guess that means you get to eat,” Gothel laughed. Cass bowed her head. “I’m just joking Pet, of course you get to eat. I need you strong to look after my precious flower.” Gothel looked over at Rapunzel and smiled before turning to the mirror. 

Cass and Rapunzel came the rest of the way down the stairs. Cass sat down at the table. When she turned to check on Rapunzel, she was across the room, standing by Mother. Rapunzel reached up and pulled at Gothel’s cloak before Cass could stop her. 

“Did you bring home food, Mama?” Rapunzel asked hopefully. 

Gothel rolled her eyes and knelt down in front of Rapunzel. “Yes, I did Flower.” She pat her on the head. “Now if you want some, why don’t you sing to me before dinner.” 

“Okay!” Rapunzel ran off to get the stool and sat in front of Gothel’s chair, waiting for her. Cass sighed in relief. She sat quietly as Rapunzel practiced singing the special song. Once again, bright golden light filled the room. Cass felt herself warm up inside. She enjoyed the warmth until the song was over. Then Gothel and her flower made their way to the table. Gothel pulled out dinner and made plates for Cass Rapunzel. She set them down in front of them before taking her seat. 

After taking her seat, Cass and Rapunzel thanked Mother for the meal. Gothel nodded and started to eat, then the two girls followed. Dinner was uneventful and Gothel retired to bed early. The two girls washed up and then ran up the stairs. They changed into their nightgowns and crawled into bed. Cass was always very careful not to lay on Rapunzel’s hair. It got easier to avoid once Rapunzel started practically sleeping on top of Cassandra. Cass pulled the covers over them and kissed her little sister on the forehead. 

“Good night Raps. I love you.” 

“I love you too Cass.” 

The two girls drifted off to sleep, ready to repeat their routine tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! There is much more to come, I just have no idea when I'll actually write/post it *finger guns*. Let me know what you think below! 💛


	3. Yes Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 10 year old Cass gets a haircut from Gothel so she can better take care of her 6 year old sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and thank you to all the commenters from the previous chapter! This chapter is still pretty light. Just your standard neglect and oldest child protective disorder. Hope you enjoy! 💛

“Cassandra?” Gothel asked, startling the ten year old child walking up the stairs. Cass paused, and so did Rapunzel.

“Yes Mother?” Cass asked, her hands balling up the hem of her dress. 

“Come back down after you tuck Rapunzel in. I need to show you something.” 

“Yes Mother.” 

Cass followed Rapunzel up the stairs and pulled on her pajamas. Rapunzel’s sum twenty-four feet of hair piled on the floor, next to the bed. Cass came over and helped the blonde crawl into bed. She tucked her in and kissed her forehead. 

“Are you coming back?” Rapunzel asked quietly. She sat up, staring at Cass with big green eyes as she made her way to the curtain. 

“Of course I will,” Cass answered. “How could I ever leave my little sister?” 

Rapunzel giggled and laid back down. She pulled the covers up to her chin, before calling out “don’t take too long!” 

Cass shook her head and smiled. “I’ll try. Now get some sleep. I’ll be back before you know it.” 

Cass watched Rapunzel for a minute, before heading down the stairs. She took a deep breath and clenched her fists. When she reached the bottom, Gothel was sitting in her chair, facing away from her. 

“Do you know why I asked you to come down, Pet?” Gothel snipped. 

Cass hung her head, but her voice was clear, “no”. 

“Of course you don’t.” Gothel waved her hand and stood up. “I called you because I’ve decided to cut your hair.” 

Cass grabbed the ends of her wavy black hair; it was nearly down to her waist. 

“Did I- did I do a Bad?” Cass murmured, pushing down her fear. 

“No. But you know how I feel about mumbling,” Gothel warned. She came over and knelt down before Cass. “I’ve decided that it’ll be easier for you to protect my flower, if you don’t have to worry about your silly hair. Do you understand?” 

Cass nodded. “Yes Mother.” 

“Good.” Gothel stood up and turned away. “Now I’m going to retrieve the scissors. Rapunzel must never know about them, okay?”

“Yes Mother.” Cass looked up and saw Gothel gesturing for her to sit on Rapunzel’s stool, scissors in hand. She trotted over, her bare feet padding silently across the stone tile floor. Cass looked up into Gothel’s mossy stone eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat, tightened her grip on her nightgown, and sat down on the stool. 

“Keep still Pet, we wouldn’t want to cut off your head now would we?” Gothel laughed at her joke and brandished the scissors. Cass tensed when she heard the first snip, but she kept still. She could feel the hair falling away. Some of it went down the back of her dress and tickled her pale skin. It was hard, but Cass managed to remain still. It wasn’t long before Gothel finished and had stashed the scissors back into hiding. 

“What do you think Pet?” Gothel asked, standing in front of the mirror, waving for her to join. Cass hopped off the stool and padded over to the mirror. She stood next to Gothel, her head coming up to her waist. She looked up and stared at herself in the mirror. Her hand tentatively played with the crisp ends of the hair, now falling just below her chin. 

“No need to thank me dear, I know it looks wonderful.”

“Oh- yes. I love it very much Mother.” 

“I knew you would.” Gothel stared at the mirror and pat Cassandra’s head. “Now, run along. Go get to bed.” 

Cass walked away and started up the stairs, when Gothel called out to her again. 

“And remember, little Rapunzel can **not** know about the scissors, understood?” 

“Yes Mother.” 

“Good. I love you very much my dear.” 

“I love you more.” 

“I love you most.” 

Cass watched Gothel slip into her room, before heading up the rest of the stairs. She silently slid past the curtain, making sure not to wake Rapunzel. Before crawling into bed, Cass checked her new look in the mirror. She played with the ends, marveling at how much it changed her face. Soon, she grew tired and joined Rapunzel in their bed. She stared at the blank ceiling and sighed. ‘How am I gonna explain this to Raps?’ Cass thought to herself. She sighed and fretted over that very question. Eventually, exhaustion took over and carried her off into a fitful sleep. 

“CASS!” Rapunzel screamed, shaking her shoulder. “WAKE UP!”

Cass shot awake at Rapunzel’s cries. She sat up and looked around, trying to figure out the problem. She sighed and looked at Rapunzel; tears were in her eyes and panic painted her face. 

“What’s wrong Raps?” Cass asked, sleep seeping into her voice. 

“Your- your hair! It’s gone!” Rapunzel exclaimed. 

Cass brought her hands up and felt her bare shoulders and neck. “Oh, yeah…” Cass sighed. “That’s what Mother did last night. She- she cut it.” Cass watched the fear flood Rapunzel’s body. 

“Wha- why? Did you- did you do a Bad?” 

Cass sighed and put her hands on Rapunzel’s shoulders. “Y-yea. I did.” 

“What was it?” Rapunzel asked, her voice threatening to break. 

“It- it doesn’t matter,” Cass brushed off. “What matters is, I won’t let it happen to you. You are my little sister Raps, and I am always going to protect you, no matter what.” She smiled, and pulled Rapunzel into a hug. She felt Rapunzel relax in her arms. 

“Thank you Cass. I know I’m safe as long as I have you.” 

“Of course. I love you Raps.” 

“I love you too.” 

The two sisters sat and embraced each other until their arms were sore. Cass could feel the guilt starting to eat at her as they got ready to face a new day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for the read! I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think below. We still got quite a few chapters left, and it'll be picking up soon. Happy new year, and keep those comments coming! 💛


	4. New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gothel leaves for her first overnight trip. While she's gone, the girls get some strange visitors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guess who is going to show up in this chapter? I hope you like it! I enjoyed writing this and I hope I do our favorite best friend duo justice. 💛

“I’m going out for a few days…” Gothel announced over breakfast. “I trust you will be okay on your own?” 

Cass noticed Rapunzel tighten her grip on her dress. “Yes Mother,” Cass answered, her voice firm and confident. “We will be fine.” 

Gothel glared at little eight year old Rapunzel, then turned her attention to Cassandra. “Alright. While I am gone, you must remember to stay inside the tower. The world is a dangerous place my darlings. The only place you are safe is up here. Understood?” 

Cass grabbed Rapunzel’s hand and they responded in unison. “Yes Mother.” 

“Very good.” Gothel pushed herself away from the table and walked over to her chair. “Cassandra dear, please prepare me enough food for 2 days while Rapunzel sings to me.”

“Yes Mother,” replied twelve year old Cass. She got up and grabbed the wicker basket Mother used for her journeys Outside. She started packing it with fruits and dried meats while mentally running through her chore list for the day.

Rapunzel quickly joined Mother and sat down on her special stool. Her quiet, melodious voice echoed about the tower. Bright golden light filled in every crack, bathing everything with healing light. She remained seated on her stool until Gothel dismissed her. She padded over to where Cassandra was filling the basket, her long blonde hair trailing behind her and her bare feet skillfully avoiding her hair. 

“Is everything set, Pet?” Gothel asked as she poked and prodded her face in the mirror. 

“Yes Mother,” Cassandra chimed. She brought the basket over to where Mother stood and waited silently for her to notice. Gothel looked down and a faint smile ghosted over her lips. 

“Look in the mirror, Pet. What do you see?” 

Cassandra looked up and stared at her reflection. She swallowed down the lump in her throat and forced herself to speak. “I see you and me, Mother.” 

Gothel tsked and rolled her eyes. She patted Cass’s head and looked back in the mirror. “I’ll tell you what I see. I see a strong, confident, beautiful young lady.” 

Cass looked up and started to smile. 

“And then there’s you,” Gothel chuckled. “My good little Pet, always ready to please me.” She bent down and turned Cassandra to face her. “You won’t disappoint me now, will you? I’d hate for you to make me punish you.” 

“No Mother,” Cassandra answered, her voice wavering but strong. “I will not disappoint you.” 

“Excellent!” Gothel stood up and grabbed the wicker basket and her cloak. “I love you both very much my darlings.” 

The two girls joined each other at the base of the stairs. “We love you more,” they replied in sync. 

Gothel smiled wide, risking getting wrinkles on her flawless skin. “I love you most.” 

The two girls waved before running up the stairs. Gothel never let them see how she left the tower. Most of the time, she’d come back when they were asleep or upstairs. If they weren’t, she’d call up and let them know she was home. Neither of the girls pushed it. If it was important, Mother would tell them. She knew best, and so they trusted her to keep them safe. Once they heard Gothel calling from outside the tower, they waved to say goodbye. This was the first time Gothel would be gone overnight, so when Mother was out of sight, Rapunzel turned to Cassandra and held her tight.

“Mama is going to come back, right?” She whimpered into Cassandra’s dress. “She isn’t leaving us…” 

Cass frowned and pulled Rapunzel into a tight hug. “Of course she’ll come back. She loves us after all.” Cass looked down and was met with a bright smile. “Come on, let’s go downstairs and I’ll brush your hair. Then we can get started on chores, okay?” 

Rapunzel wiped her tears and whispered “okay”, not letting go of Cass’s dress. 

The morning proceeded like they always do. Chores were completed before lunch, and then after lunch they took a nap. When they awoke however, there were strange noises coming from outside the tower. 

“Cass? Do you hear that?” Rapunzel whispered, pulling the covers up to her face. 

“Yeah, I do.” 

“Do you think it’s bad people? From Outside?” 

Cass swung her feet over the side of the bed. “I don’t think so…” She looked around before hopping off the bed. “Stay here until I call for you, okay?”  
“Okay,” Rapunzel mumbled, now hiding under the covers.

Cass made her way down the wooden stairs, careful not to make a sound. She grabbed a frying pan they often used for cooking and made her way to the window. She carefully pushed it open, then peaked her head out. She couldn’t see anyone Outside, but the noises were getting louder. Suddenly, Cassandra heard Rapunzel shriek. She raced up the stairs to find Raps running over to help a small green thing. Overhead, there was an owl flitting about before landing on a wooden beam. Cass approached Rapunzel and was about to sit down next to her, when she saw it. 

“Raps! Move!” Cass called out. Rapunzel darted onto the bed, still holding the small green creature. Cass swung the frying pan and knocked out a sickly purple snake. Its tooth fell out and clattered on the ground. The owl swooped down and carried it out the window before crashing onto the bed. Its wing was bent and the green frog was losing color. 

“Cass! I think they’re hurt!” Rapunzel shouted. 

Cass dropped the pan and hopped onto the bed. She carefully wrapped them up in Rapunzel’s hair. Rapunzel took a deep breath and began singing. As brilliant light filled the room, the two creatures returned back to normal. When the song ended, the owl fluttered its wing and took off, flying about the room. The frog crawled over and sat on Rapunzel’s knee. The owl soon landed on Cass’s outstretched arm. They both nuzzled up to the girls, and the girls loved them back. 

“This is so cool Cass!” Rapunzel exclaimed as she watched the ‘frog’ change color to match her pale lavender dress. 

“Yeah, it is,” Cass murmured. She was lost in admiration of the bird’s wings. 

“Can we keep them!?” Rapunzel asked, her whole body vibrating with excitement. 

“I uh- Mother won’t like them…” Cass said, avoiding the question. She looked and saw Rapunzel’s big sad eyes and sighed. “But I guess it’ll be alright, as long as Mother never finds out…”

Rapunzel leaped up and hugged Cass with all her might. Cass hugged her back and stroked her long silken hair. She noticed the green creature, a chameleon, climbing up Rapunzel’s hair and onto her shoulder. She stared at it and smiled; it smiled back. The bird leaned into Cass and rubbed up against her. All sorts of thoughts raced through her mind: “how are we going to hide them?” “what if Mother finds out?” “this is so stupid”. But when she pulled back and saw Rapunzel’s smile, she knew it was all going to be okay. 

“Come on Cass! Let’s go play with our new friends!” Rapunzel hopped off the bed and ran downstairs, the chameleon holding on tightly to her shoulder. Cass sighed and brushed back her hair. She turned and looked at the owl perched on her shoulder. 

“This is crazy, you know that?” Cass sighed. “We’re gonna get caught, and Rapunzel will get hurt, and it’ll be all my fault. I’m supposed to protect her ya know.” Cass stared at the owl and rolled her neck. “But how can I say no to her? You saw that face. So now we’re here.” She fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. “What do you think, Owl?”

The bird quirked its head to the side and gave a small chirp. Cass laughed and pet its head. 

“Well said.” She sat up and looked toward the curtain. “Let’s go downstairs before Raps gets suspicious.” 

So the two made their way down the old wooden steps and watched quietly as Rapunzel gave the chameleon different things to match color with. 

“Having fun there Raps?” Cass called out, Owl still on her shoulder. 

“Yea! Pascal is so cool! Look!” She handed him a purple button and watched in wonder as he changed colors to match it. 

Cass chuckled and sat down next to her sister. “Pascal huh?” She held a random item out and watched as Pascal changed color. 

“Yea!” Rapunzel grabbed Pascal and turned to face Cass. She crossed her legs in her lap and started rocking back and forth. “What’s yours named?” 

Cass smiled and pet the reddish-brown bird’s head. “Owl.” 

Rapunzel’s eyes lit up. “That’s perfect!” She cheered, tackling Cass in a hug. The two sisters spent the rest of the night playing with their new friends. 

***

The sun came up and Cassandra blinked away the last remnants of sleep. She was wrapped up in Rapunzel’s hair, on the floor, in front of the fireplace. She looked over and saw Rapunzel still fast asleep, Pascal curled up next to her. She slowly sat up and spotted Owl perched on a coat rack, eyes shut and breathing even. Cass smiled and stretched, welcoming the new day. She reached over and gently woke up Rapunzel. 

“Hey, Raps, it’s after 7. Time to get up.” 

Rapunzel’s eyes drifted open and she smiled wide. “Okay….” she slurred, still in sleep’s grasp. Cass rolled her eyes and shook her again. 

“Come on, time to get up. Mother is coming back today.” 

Rapunzel’s smile turned sour and the light left her eyes. Cass had never seen Rapunzel like this before. Just yesterday, Rapunzel was worried about Mother not coming back. Now it seemed… 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Cass placed a hand on Rapunzel’s shoulder. Her voice was soft and kind. Rapunzel looked up at her and couldn’t help but smile. “Let’s get up and I’ll brush your hair. Then we can make breakfast and clean the place up, okay?”

“Okay.” Rapunzel stretched her arms and Pascal mimicked her motions. He sat on her lap quietly as Cass brushed through her hair. He stuck by Rapunzel all throughout breakfast and chores. Owl stayed on its perch, asleep. Cass recalled something about owls liking night time better, so she let it be. 

***

It was just before sunset when Gothel returned. She called up to the tower and the girls rushed to the window. She waved and they waved back before running up the stairs. Cass woke Owl and carefully guided it up the stairs. They hid Pascal and Owl behind a curtain and waited patiently on the bed. 

“I’m home darlings!” Mother shouted up the stairs. Cassandra and Rapunzel rushed down the stairs, Cass first so as not to trip Rapunzel. When they reached the bottom, they waited for Gothel’s next move. She opened her arms wide; Rapunzel took off towards her and hugged her tight. 

“Did you miss me Flower?” Gothel asked as she stroked the golden hair. 

“Yes Mama,” Rapunzel answered quietly, forcing her voice not to waver. Gothel looked up to Cass. 

“And what about you, Pet? Didn’t you miss your mother while she was gone?” 

Cass smiled and trotted over to Gothel and Rapunzel, her bare feet echoing on the stone floor. “Of course I did Mother,” she sighed before joining their hug.

“Good.” Gothel rubbed her hair and then broke off the hug. “I assume you both behaved while I was gone?” 

The girls looked at each other, then nodded. “Yes Mother.” 

“Oh I’m so glad,” Gothel praised. “That means I don’t have to punish you.” She walked away and into the kitchen, emptying out the basket of goods she gathered while she was out. “I have a very special treat for my good little girls.” 

“What is it?” Rapunzel asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. Gothel turned and smiled. 

“I’m making hazelnut soup! It’s why I was gone longer than normal. I wanted to reward you two for being such good kids. I know you’d never break Mommy’s trust.” 

Cass gulped, fear and panic rising up within her. She wiped her sweaty palms on her pale blue dress, desperately hoping Mother wouldn’t notice. 

“I will make it tonight, but first…” Gothel strolled about the tower towards her chair, holding out the hair brush. “Rapunzel, will you sing for me? I am feeling awfully run down after being out for so long.” 

Rapunzel rushed over to her stool, quickly grabbing the brush. “Yes Mother!” 

The healing song and all its magic filled the old stone tower. Cass watched the magic hair, never growing tired of seeing her sister at work. She was safe for tonight, and that’s all that mattered to Cass. She knew that she’d do whatever it’d take to keep Rapunzel safe, and that she would always put her sister first, no matter the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What'd ya think? Did you guess right? What do you think is gonna happen for our girls next? Let me know down below!! Love ya, stay safe!!! 💛
> 
> Also side note: apparently Owl uses he/him pronouns. Totally did not spend 10 minutes looking it up after I finished writing. Nope. Not at all.

**Author's Note:**

> The next chapter should be up shortly, since I already have it written. But who knows. Lmk what you think below! 💛


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